Professional Preparation

VI and O&M Preparation in Texas

What is VI Preparation in Texas?

Certification to work with students with visual impairments is available, regardless of where you live in Texas. Training is provided through Texas Tech University and Stephen F. Austin State University.

For more information about VI and O&M Preparation in Texas, you can contact:

What is VI Preparation in Texas?

Certification to work with students with visual impairments is available, regardless of where you live in Texas. Training is provided through Texas Tech University and Stephen F. Austin State University.

For more information about VI and O&M Preparation in Texas, you can contact:

What is in this packet?

Beginning your career as a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) or O&M specialist through a university program has at least two steps: being accepted in a participating university and being accepted by the certification program. Reviewing the following information prior to submitting the university application will assist in the process:

What are the training prerequisites for a TVI and a COMS?

You may seek certification as either a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) or an orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist. Although a VI professional may choose to become dually certified as both a TVI and an O&M specialist, each is a separate profession with separate professional standards. The prerequisites will vary depending on the training option you choose:

Teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) prerequisites

Initial teaching certificate, preferably in special education, elementary, or secondary education, and

Orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) prerequisites

What will I be studying?

The specific program of study will depend on the training option (VI or O&M) and on other additional factors. Below is a basic listing of course topics. Exact course titles will vary by university and training option.

Common Courses (for all VI professionals)

All students will take the following courses:

Foundations in Visual Impairments

Structure and Function of the Visual System (Anatomy)

Methods for Students with Multiple Impairments

Basic Orientation and Mobility

Teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI)

In addition to the common courses, the VI certificate program includes:

Braille

Academic Methods, and

Internship/Practicum.

If you are not certified in special education or have not taken an overview course in special education, you must also complete a survey of exceptionalities course to become a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI). You will need to coordinate your specific needs with your university advisor.

O&M Specialist

In addition to the common courses, the O&M program of study requires additional coursework. SFASU and TTU address the same competencies; however they arrange their courses a bit differently.

If you already hold a VI certificate and were trained at a university, have already taken the common courses, and have worked in the field since you competed your training, you will not need to take them again. Most districts do not require O&M specialists to hold an educational certificate.

How much will the program cost? Is financial assistance available?

Both SFASU and TTU have funds to assist with the cost of tuition. Each university distributes funds according to university program guidelines. The specific method used and amount of stipends vary by university. This is a competitive process. You should discuss it with the faculty advisors at the university of your choice. You will be responsible for ordering and paying for your books.

TTU students will be required to travel to Lubbock and Austin as part of some courses. Students are responsible for these required travel costs.

SFASU O&M candidates will be required to come to the Nacogdoches campus for 6 weeks of training in the summer. Room and board is provided during that time on campus. Students are responsible for these required travel costs.

How are courses offered?

Courses are offered through a blend of distance learning strategies, such as via the internet, interactive television (ITV), interactive (audio only) internet and face-to-face activities. The exact blend will depend on your location, the university and the specific course. For more information, you should contact the universities listed on the first and last pages of this newsletter.

One face-to-face course is offered by Texas Tech University each semester during the academic year. This course meets on seven Saturdays at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Austin. For this schedule, please check with the faculty at TTU.

Should I contact my regional education service center (ESC)?

Each regional service center has at least one VI contact. You arestrongly encouraged to contact the VI consultant at your regional service center (ESC) for various reasons.

The VI person or team at your ESC will be a source of support and resources for you in the future. Why not start the relationship early?

If you take courses that have an ITV component (SFASU summer courses), you must make sure that your region is participating.

VI programs at your regional service centers have resources that may be helpful. These may include reference materials, journals and specialized equipment. Some ESCs provide assistance with textbooks.

VI programs sponsor workshops at the service center. They also help support professional development for VI professionals in their region. “Support” may include travel assistance to attend statewide conferences.

ESC personnel tend to know about TVI and O&M positions open in their region.

Who should apply?

Of course, you must have an interest in and a commitment to working with children with visual impairments. Most VI professionals work as itinerant professionals. Therefore, as teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) or an O&M specialist, you must be prepared for on-the-job travel.

In addition, you must realize that this is an intense program. The instructional content is exactly the same as traditional courses on campus. While the length of instruction is the same, ITV and interactive courses will have fewer meetings (but for more hours each time). Internet courses also require a substantial time commitment.

How do I apply?

Each university has specific requirements and procedures. You must contact the faculty at the university or visit their web site for information. You can find more information at the following sites:

SFASU

APPLY TO THE SFASU GRADUATE SCHOOL

Use the Texas Common Application found at https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/gen/c_start.WBX . There is a $50 application fee.

OTHER SFASU PROGRAM AND SCHOOL INFORMATION

SFASU accepts students into the VI program, "Project Vision", in the spring of each year to be eligible for grant awards. New students typically take all of their courses as a group, starting in the summer of 2017 and are referred to as a “cohort”.

TTU

APPLY TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Go to TTU Graduate School and click the “Apply Now” link. Follow the instructions to apply to the Graduate School. There is a $60 application fee, and it can be completed online. You do not need GRE scores for certification or Master's Programs any longer.

IF SEEKING A CERTIFICATION

Under “Select Your Major” choose “Teaching Certificate in College of Education"even if you already have your teacher’s certification. Under “Major Area of Interest” write in “Visual Impairment” or “Orientation & Mobility.

You can check your admission status online. For assistance, the Graduate School Admissions phone number is 806-742-2787. If you are having application problems, please call Brianna Sanchez at 806-834-2353 or Anita Page at 806-834-1515 in the College of Education for help.

You can download a copy of the application. The application for a competitive stipend award for tuition assistance for certification courses only needs to be printed out and faxed to 806-742-2326 or mailed to the Sowell Center address at the bottom of the page of the application.

Note: Both universities require official transcripts from all previous universities you attended. You should order an official copy of your university transcript(s) to be sent directly to the university as soon as possible – even if you have not completed your university or program application. Sometimes it takes time to have your request processed and sent. Don’t let this hold up your application.

Can I get a master’s degree?

The courses described here will contribute to certification as a VI professional; either as a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) or an orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist. The courses will not provide all of the requirements for a master’s degree in either of those areas, but those at the graduate level can apply towards a master’s degree.

If you are considering a master’s degree, even if you are not sure, you should talk to the advisor at the university of your choice as soon as possible. This information may affect how you complete the application procedures.

Please note the grant provides support for certification courses. Students seeking a master’s degree will need to self-pay or seek funding elsewhere for the additional courses required beyond those for the certification.

What are the acceptance criteria?

The goal of this program is to train and employ VI professionals to work with students with visual impairments. Therefore, in order to be accepted, you will have to make a commitment to work with children with visual impairments in Texas.

Each university has specific acceptance criteria and procedures. These are also affected by whether you want certification-only or want a master’s degree. Also, each university has timelines for submitting documentation. You must contact the university of your choice for requirements and timeline information. Contact information is on the first and last pages of this newsletter.

Can I get an emergency permit?

Teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI):

It is possible to get an emergency permit to work as a TVI. In order to serve as a TVI in a district before completing the TVI program, a district can apply to TEA for an emergency permit for an individual with the agreement that he or she will then complete the remainder of the courses required for full certification as a TVI. To be eligible for the emergency permit in order to teach students with visual impairments in Texas, you must be currently certified in elementary, secondary, or special education and have satisfied the following requirements: (a) completed six semester credit hours directly related to teaching students with visual impairments and (b) have one creditable year of classroom teaching experience. In addition, you must have demonstrated competency in literary braille and basic Nemeth Code by passing the TExES Braille exam, holding certification as a literary Braille transcriber by the Library of Congress, or passing one university course in braille. The University Program will provide the hiring district a Deficiency Plan noting the remaining courses needed by the person being hired. Both the Braille and VI TExES exams must also be passed before becoming fully certified.

Contact SFASU or TTU for information about how to obtain a VI Emergency Permit.

How will the lecture portions of the courses be taught?

The courses are a blend of lecture and skill-based learning. The lecture portion will be taught through a blend of the following methods: Internet, ITV and face-to-face meetings. More information about the skill-based training follows:

ITV/TETN/SFASU

ITV (interactive television) sessions will require you to travel to a participating ESC for your first two summer classes only. ONLY SFASU uses the ITV system for their TVI summer courses (not needed for O&M coursework). You should contact your service center prior to sending your application to SFASU. For the ITV portion of the instruction, you will sit in a room with other students in your cohort and participate in discussions via an interactive audio-visual device that looks like a TV. You will be able to speak directly to the instructor and students at other sites. After the summer, the other courses will be delivered over the internet.

Internet

The Internet is used throughout the programs, either for part or all of courses. The instructor will be available via phone, discussion board, and/or email.

You will be able to participate in the Internet-based courses and activities at your convenience. Specific deadlines will be set for each module or unit. You must meet the deadlines; this is not an independent study course. It will be very important for you to develop and stick to a schedule.

SFASU also uses an interactive program, Collaborate, as part of their internet instruction. It will be used to provide instruction during the fall and spring semesters. SFASU typically only uses the interactive audio portion of Collaborate as most people do not have enough band width to use the video portion of the program. These classes are held in the evenings, usually for two hour sessions every other week. SFASU has no internet-only classes.

Face-to-face

TTU offers 1 course each long semester during the year on 7 Saturdays at TSBVI. Additionally, TTU requires skill-based weekend instruction at Texas Tech in Lubbock or Austin for specific modules in some of the courses.

How will the skill-based portions of the training be taught?

Several courses have skill-based components that are taught face-to-face.

Basic O&M

During Basic O&M, students will meet with a facilitator for approximately 20+ hours of instruction. Scheduling will vary by university. The skill-based training will be conducted at a university or an outreach site.

Cane Courses

O&M specialists take a total of 6 credit hours of instruction on how to use the cane while under blindfold. Both SFASU and TTU offer two separate 3-credit courses. Both are taken in a single summer.

The cane courses must be conducted on a face-to-face basis. These courses will be offered at the TTU and SFASU campuses. Pending availability of funds, students who attend these courses on-campus may be provided with a stipend to cover some or all of their tuition, housing and/or assistance for travel.

Anatomy of the Eye

At TTU, the eye course requires a weekend in Lubbock for hands-on and interactive training such as dissecting a cow’s eye, learning how to do a functional vision evaluation and a learning media assessment, using optical devices, etc.

Academic Methods

At TTU, the academic methods course for teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) requires a weekend in Austin for the Assistive Technology component of the course which includes hands-on learning about the latest technological advances used with students with visual impairments.

Practicum or Internship

The VI and O&M training options both require field experiences, known as either a practicum or internship. These will be arranged on an individual basis. Typically, the practicum/internship will be in the local area. However, each practicum/internship experience must meet certain basic requirements. As a result, it may be necessary to travel from your existing job location for a portion or all of the practicum/internship. It is possible that O&M specialists will need to go out of their area or even out of Texas.

O&M internship

In O&M, the field experiences (internship and practicum) are completed under the supervision of an Academy for the Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) certified O&M specialist who meets the criteria for internship supervisors and who has been selected by the university to do so. Internship involves providing orientation and mobility services on a full-time basis. This important experience usually happens away from your home community.Faculty will make all arrangements.

VI practicum/internship

Teachers of students with visual impairments (TVI) complete a practicum/internship. It will be supervised by university faculty or an by an university designee. During that period, you will need to work as a TVI, completing a series of professional experiences. It is possible that you will need to travel beyond your district for a limited period of time in order to complete those experiences. For those students already working as a TVI with an emergency permit, their internship can be done with their existing caseload of students.

Does it make a difference which university I attend?

NO. Both university programs address the same set of professional competencies, respond to the same set of accountability measures, and offer training which will enable you to be certified as either a Teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) or an orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist.

There are differences. You must evaluate both programs and determine which best meets your needs. Stephen F. Austin State University admits new students in the summer semesters. Other students may be admitted on a case-by-case basis. This block of students, known as a cohort, take classes together via the Internet and ITV systems. Texas Tech University accepts new students year round and offers courses predominately via the Internet.

IMPORTANT: additional information is available from both universities. You should contact both universities to determine which is best for your situation. You can find information on their websites. The addresses are:

Master’s degree students

If you are interested in getting a master’s degree as a TVI and/or an O&M specialist, you must discuss this with the faculty at SFASU and TTU. Each university has different requirements. You will be able to complete the extra coursework required for the Masters via on-line courses.

In order to help you make that decision, you should contact each university to discuss its application and acceptance policies. If possible it is preferred that you declare whether or not you are seeking a degree during the first semester.

Do I learn braille?

All teachers of students with visual impairments must learn braille in order to be fully certified and to have access to an emergency permit. You will be required to take the TExES Braille exam. You must take and pass the TExES Braille exam prior to being certified. The Braille TExES exam is offered two times a year, and you will be able to take the exam following the completion of the course.

Learning braille is like learning a new code; not another language, but a new system for English. The key to mastering braille is the necessity for daily practice, every day, even on weekends. Sighted VI professionals learn braille visually, not tactually as a student with a visual impairment does.

Like all of the courses in the sequence, the braille course is extremely rigorous in any situation, and even more so when taught in a condensed fashion, such as during a Summer Session.

If you are considering taking the braille course over the summer, the course will be condensed. If you will not have several hours to devote to braille each day (including weekends), you are advised to wait until the course is offered during the long semester. If you take it from SFASU over the ITV during the summer, plan on traveling to the ESC two times a week.

What are the deadlines for enrollment?

Being accepted to the Reach Across Texas Program at TTU or Project Vision as SFASU, if you are interested in applying for a competitive stipend award.

These are separate procedures. You MUST complete all of the steps according to the chosen university’s procedures. To learn more about the steps for enrolling in the university, visit the websites for the VI programs at SFASU and TTU.

Texas Tech University (TTU)

Texas Tech accepts students throughout the year, although the majority of TTU students begin the program in the fall semester. You must apply to the university and to Reach Across Texas no later than November 1, 2017 for the Spring semester, May 1, 2018 for the Summer semester or June 1, 2018 for the Fall semester. Many students start the TVI program in the summer, taking braille and the foundation course so that they can start a job as a TVI in the fall with an emergency permit. Once accepted, you must register for the designated courses. For more information visit: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/elearning/cert-prep/visual-impairment/

Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU)

At SFASU, VI and O&M professionals take their courses as a group, or cohort. This means that most students start together (in the summer) and takes their classes in a set sequence. Other students can join the program in other semesters on a limited basis based on prerequisites. The cohort applications are accepted in the spring of 2017 and courses start the first summer session. You must apply no later than March 20, 2017, the third Monday in March. Once you have applied to the SFASU graduate school using the Apply Texas common application found at https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/gen/c_start.WBX, you can then apply for acceptance and funding.

Will I need to get my transcripts?

Yes. You will need to arrange for an official copy of all of your transcripts to be sent to the Graduate School at the university of your choice. The holder of your transcripts (all previously attended universities, including community colleges) will send them directly to SFASU or TTU. Since it may take time for your request to be processed, you are strongly advised to start this process as soon as possible. Do not wait! You might miss a deadline!

Will I have a mentor?

In Texas, all participants are paired with a trained, experienced professional. Mentors are assigned when you have a caseload either when you start working as a TVI or COMS or during the internship phase of your program. Any TVI working on an emergency permit is assigned a mentor right away. To the degree possible, the mentor will be from your home region.

All participants in either the TTU or SFASU VI programs are invited to attend up to 2 Mentor Centers (free of charge) during their training and up to a year after completion. Mentor Centers are hosted at TSBVI where you are able to observe TVIs and COMS working with students at TSBVI and in the local school district.

This is a non-evaluative mentor program. This means that your mentor will not be called upon to provide an evaluation of your skills, either by the university or your district. This is a person to whom you can turn when you have questions and/or concerns about content or skills.

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